US Vice President Joe Biden on Friday said Washington has a great interest in Pakistan's success while Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif underscored improved bilateral relations as the two leaders discussed wide-ranging co-operation at a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. "The United States has a great interest in Pakistan's success," Biden said, while welcoming Prime Minister Sharif as the democratic leader of Pakistan.
The Pakistani leader said he looked forward to constructive discussions with Vice President Biden. The US vice president said the better Pakistan does, the happier the United States is, as it wants the country to succeed. "We have enormous mutual interest ... we are both striving together to combat terrorism to provide for prosperity for our people, expand trade opportunities, access to education and there is a great deal our countries can do together, bilaterally, internationally and regionally," Biden added.
Biden also had warm words for success of the Pakistani leader. "Your success as democratically elected leader of the country of such consequence is very very important." The US vice president said earlier in the day Prime Minister Sharif and he co-chaired a summit on UN peace-keeping missions. "We have made real progress," Biden said, praising Pakistan's leadership in peace-keeping missions and other global issues.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stressed the commonality of interests and said the two countries had a lot of wide-ranging subjects to discuss. Prime Minister Sharif also recalled his visit to the White House, where he had talks with President Barack Obama and said the relationship between the two countries has improved further. The US side at the talks included Special Representative Dan Feldman while the Pakistani delegation included Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani and senior officials.